Annie versus car. Car wins.

Annie, my beloved black lab mutt, got hit by a car yesterday morning at 4:45 a.m. Kevin had gotten up to let the dogs out so that we could get ready to go run a 10K in Louisville, and one of my neighbors happened to be driving up the road at the same time. Saturday morning. 4:45 a.m. No one is on our road. BUT, yesterday morning was not Annie's best day. 

I heard it happen, too. I was laying in bed trying to talk myself into getting up and pulling on my running tights, and I heard a thwump. I sat straight up in bed and looked out the window, but I didn't see a car, and I didn't see the dogs, and I happened to hear our cat walking around the house at the same moment, so I thought, "Ahhh, it was just the cat jumping down to the floor." 

I pulled myself out of bed and walked down the hall to the bathroom, and I was standing there looking in the mirror when I heard Kevin say, "Honey, Annie's hurt."

I went out to the kitchen to find Annie laying on the floor panting. Her right rear leg looked like it wasn't in the right place. She seemed to have no blood, no ripped fur, no... well, nothing. But she was clearly in pain and uncomfortable. So we started calling vets. 

I'll spare all the details, but it was a LONG ride to the vet. When Annie sat up in the front seat, though, Kevin and I were both relieved. We had to carry her in to the vet wrapped in our U of M/Kentucky blanket, and then we had to leave her there. That was miserable. Annie was laying on the floor, looking up at me, wondering what the heck was going on. The vet was incredibly kind, and he clearly understood that taking care of the people is almost as important as taking care of the pets. 

So several hours, and several phone calls, and one hour-long trip around Walmart trying to pass the time later, we found out that Annie will be staying at the vet's through Tuesday--surgery on Monday. Her right rear leg was dislocated from her hip, and they couldn't get it to stay in. They had to anesthetize her to give it a whirl, and she wasn't waking up well from the anesthesia. And in order to get the leg to stay in place, they have to saw off part of her femur and allow the scar tissue that will form to serve as padding between the bones of her hip and leg. Sounds painful. The doctor says it will be eight weeks of recovery for her (and us).

SOoo, now we're driving to Michigan this weekend with Annie along for the ride. But first, we're keeping our fingers crossed that the surgery goes well tomorrow.